


Tied by a Red Thread

by PennyForTheGuy



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game), swtor - Fandom
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Maybe a little too much cuteness, Reader-Insert, Romance, Sith third wheel is not good, Soulmates, Third Wheels, Unrequited Love, yes there is weeb influence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:20:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21747433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PennyForTheGuy/pseuds/PennyForTheGuy
Summary: Nearly every culture believes that if two people are meant to be together they will find each other no matter what. The people of the Sith Empire believe that the fingers of soul mates are tied together at birth with an endless thread that is red at one end, and white at the other. With one tug no matter how far apart they may be the thread pulls them back together.
Relationships: Talos Drellik/ Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Tied by a Red Thread

Dad always told you not to hang around the small spaceport by the old Thul complex. Even though not many people used it was still dangerous for a little kid to wander around there. Not matter how much you loved seeing the spaceships. Then when you were eight the Thuls came back, and brought the Imperials in right behind them. Dad really wanted to keep you away after that.

The first day when they landed the family cruiser and marched off flanked by Stormtroopers and officers you had thought there was parade going on. Entranced and impressed you ran up to get a better look and the Imperials flashed smiles at the little child staring at them awe. Troopers waved to you and you beamed. Without warning a huge hand grabbed the back of your collar and yanked you with it. Choking, yelling, flailing, you struggled to get free and keep watching the parade. Looking up you met your Dad's eyes and he looked angry.

Then he shifted his burning gaze to the parade marching by, spat a curse and started dragging you home. Once back he sat you down and very seriously explained that those people were Imperials. They were terrible people and never to be trusted, don't' get near them or talk to them.

"Keep your distance always. They are the people your cousins are fighting against, they're the ones ruining the galaxy. You hear?"

You nodded rubbing tears with one hand and your sore neck with the other. He gave you a bowl of gelatice for it and said 'Sorry bub.'

You were good about things and stayed away like he said for several months. But with the Thuls back and the Imperials now using the complex as their main base there were so many more ships coming in! Landing and taking off all day and all night. Some of them were rattling your farm house half a kilometer away.

One day while everyone was doing their chores and looking somewhere else you took the stroll back up the fields to the spaceport. You just wanted to see what kind of spaceships the Empire was flying in day in and day out. Were they big, were they like those ones shaped like birds flapping their wings? Were there any fighters, or freighters, or carriers, or cruisers? Could you see the guns, or maybe some bombs on some of them? What about something fancy like the Thuls arrived in, all covered in swirling electrum decals and shimmering in the sunlight, were there still cruisers like that around?

You ventured to the spaceport and the old Thul guards recognized you as another curious little kid. They let you step past the side entrance and start down to the main lounge and takeoff area. The first day you got stopped by some Stormtroopers, they asked you your name and sternly told you to go home.

You did so because they had big blasters, and moped home mumbling about how you didn't even get to see any ships. Your family noticed you gone but they must have though you were just out somewhere else playing. You kept sneaking away every few days or so when you could; stealing away to the spaceport. The Stormtroopers were started to know you like the Thul guards did as a harmless and stubborn little kid. Eventually they would let you sit in the waiting area and watch the starships land and take off but they never let you wander down any of the corridors to the ports proper.

Maybe if you had an extra credit or two you could stop at one of the vendors and pick up a little piece of candy rock. Since the Imperials started coming regularly to Alderaan the stall keep had included a flavor that was supposed to be from berries grown only on Dromund Kaas. Best flavor ever! It was nice to just have some candy and sit and watch all these cool ships come and go. But you also started to notice the coming and goings of some people too.

Officers filing in and out had also come to recognize you as a friendly little local. Occasionally one might ask you your name and what you were doing there. It was embarrassing but exciting to talk to one of these impressive people. You never saw a single one with an un-pressed uniform or a smudged boot a single hair astray. Always looking calm and in control you wanted to be like them. You got ordered around by everyone at home from your parents to your or siblings even the people who worked for Dad told you what to do. It'd be nice to be the one doing the telling!

A few months had passed since the Imperials landed and one day like any other you snuck off to the spaceport. One of your big sisters had tried to do up your hair with a shiny red ribbon that you ripped out as soon as you left. You were just walking around when you happened to spot something. A trooper and an officer were talking off in a corner. You couldn't hear them but the Trooper had removed her helmet and you could see her acting bashful and blushing. Then she pulled a red ribbon from her utility belt and presented it to the man she was talking to who beamed ear to ear and immediately grabbed her by the breastplate and pulled her up for a kiss.

Huh? Why did he kiss her for giving him a piece of ribbon? Taking a breath for courage you walked up to the trooper after she and the officer parted.

"Excuse me..." You said as nicely as you could. She turned around an looked rather scary now that her helmet was back on.

"Yes?"

"I saw you give that man a nice red ribbon, I was just wondering what that was for?" There was a pause after you spoke and she tilted her head. Your stomach dropped a bit thinking you upset her but then she answered quite politely.

"That was a gift for Red Day...Pubs-erm! Republicans don't have Red Day do they?"

You shook your head.

"Red Day is when couples give each other tokens to show their love, usually its for a female giving a male a token. We then have White Day which is when males give females a token in return."

"Is it just women giving men presents on Red Day?"

"No." she answered. "Anyone can really. I don't know how same sex couples decide who gives something on which day."

"Why a ribbon?"

She shrugged "Its an old traditional gift, its not much use I know but its the thing to give. White Day is the same just a white ribbon. I think the old tradition was to tie them together somehow?" She put a thoughtful finger to the chin of her helmet.

"But really anything red will do. A red jewel ring, a red box of treats, one mate of mine gave her sweetheart a red hair trigger for his rifle."

"He liked that?" you asked quizzically.

"He loved it! Still uses that trigger."

"Huh. So today's when women give men red gifts."

"Yeah. That answer your question?"

"Yeah" you nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you!"

"Your welcome." She then pivoted and went straight back to her duties. You pulled the red ribbon your sister tried to do you up with from the front pocket of your overalls. Maybe....it could make someone else happy.

But not just anyone, had to be someone you would like. Walking up to a section that over looked the rest of the lounge and vendors you cast your young gaze out over the sea of faces. There's an officer, a very old officer with a lot of liver spots. A younger man passed by not far from you but he had some kind of awful curly mutton chops growing. Way too hairy. There's small group of them! Hmmm, they look busy. There must be a handsome, young officer here some where, preferably alone.

While scanning you looked dover to right and saw a rather good looking man in a fine black uniform sitting in the tiny cantina with three others. They were average but he had dark brown skin, a full mouth, high and sharp check bones and warm eyes. But he didn't look very happy. He looked like he'd just been chewing on a lemon honestly. Maybe the ribbon would cheer him up a bit.

You stood a frozen for a few minutes, gather your strength before taking a final gulp and forcing yourself over to the table. His friends were laughing at something but as you got within a foot they stopped to stare at this tiny farm kid in overalls approaching them. He furrowed his brow and leaned in as you cam up to him.

"Are you lost?" he asked in a gentle tone. You looked over everyone at the table before looking back to him. They were looking more and more confused and worried with every second. You couldn't figure out what to say though! Why didn't you think of this before you walked up? Another gulp and you pulled the ribbon out of your pocket.

With both hand you held it up to him.

"I-I um heard it was Red Day! And that girls usually give boys a red ribbon. You looked kind of sad so I thought this would be...nice?" There was a stone silent pause before he and his table burst out laughing. Now you got more and more worried. 

"Did I do something wrong?"

He shook his head and picked up the ribbon, running it though his fingers.

"No, no!" One of his friends shouted something about winning over all the wrong girls; he scowled and waved the comment away. "This is very sweet."

Holding the ribbon he was now wearing a smile that dazzled. He grabbed both your cheeks and squeezed just a bit.

"You are so adorable." he then planted a kiss on each cheek, turning you a red to match the ribbon. With a parting hug he bid you to go home; laughing as he waved to you with that ribbon still twined in his fingers.

You went home and thought for half a second. Then tore up to your sister and mother's sewing room and found every spool of red ribbon they had. Turned out to be about ten. Dumping them on the floor you then selected the two prettiest one of satin and one of organza and took a scissors even though you weren't allowed to touch those and chopped up the whole lengths into pieces a few inches long. Stuffing every last one into your pockets you booked it back to the space port with front and side pockets bursting with tangles of red.

You presented the first ribbon to a man with back pants and a white coat looking over a datapad. He jumped when you ran up to with a ribbon in hand and a bright "Happy Red Day!"

He smiled awkwardly and took the ribbon. The next officer also burst out laughing and gave you a hug, and also slipped you a couple of credits. Money for ribbons? You didn't think they'd do that but awesome! After presenting some more men with gifts word seemed to get round about you. Troopers came up asked if you were the girl running around with Red Day ribbons.

"Yes, am I in trouble?"

"No! We wanted to see if you have any more."

They took off their helmets and gave out hugs and pecks for ribbons each, and gave you a handful more credits. By the time you hopped out of the spaceport you were beaming. You couldn't be more pleased with yourself; glowing with praise from all those imperial men and pockets weighed down with credits rather than silks. One ribbon was left though. You had intended to save it to give back to your sister.

But as you crossed the outside sitting area in the hot midday sun you noticed a man and a little boy about your age heading to bench, each holding a pastry cone piled high with gelatice. The boy was already taking licks and it was making you want some of your own. Credits were burning a hole in your pockets and you eyed the gelatice stand trying to decide what flavor to get when you glanced back to the pair.

They had sat down and the boy was wiggling around getting comfortable when you saw that massive stack of scoops begin to flag. Everything happened in horrible slow motion. He reached out to try to catch the falling treat, that made his arm holding the cone lower and made the gelatice slip right off the foundation scoop.

Bright sweet colors tumbled to the sizzling pavement and made a theatrical splat on impact. The boy, his dad and you all stared with eyes wider then frying pans and everything held stock still for a long moment. Then the boy sniffled and tears very quickly began to flow down his cheeks. He turned to his dad with a perfect kicked puppy gaze; the man pinched the bridge of his nose as his son started to sob.

You broke out of your stupor and walked right up to him.

"Hi, I'm sorry about your gela; I have some credits I'll get you another."

He stared at you with the biggest green eyes you'd ever seen.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Come on, we'll get a bowl this time."

He looked to his dad for permission, he just cracked a small grin and said "Go on".

You got the two of you bowls as promised, and sat at a table together devouring gelatice on a hot day and finding out all about each other. His name was Talos, he was here with mom and dad and his older brother because his dad was posted as head of defense for the Imperial forces. His brother was kinda big and mean, and nearly always had a stick so watch out for him. Talos loved read and wander around in the woods looking for rocks or maybe old artifacts.

You told him about you family's farm, about all your brothers and sisters and how Mom and big sis keep trying to braid and do your hair even though its too short. There's good spots in the woods by your west fields to play, lots streams to splash and trees to climb. Once you were done with your bowls Talos's dad came over.

"Its time to go son, say goodbye for now."

"Thank you! I'll come visit your farm soon!" Without warning he reached out and gave you a massive hug. In a flash you remembered one thing still in your pocket. He'd probably like it.

"Hey, I have something here you might like." You pulled the last crimson strand from your overalls and gingerly handed it to him.

"For my new friend." he gasped and put his hands to mouth, eyes fliting between his dad and your gift. When he lowered them he was smiling brighter than the sun. He picked up the ribbon like it was the greatest thing ever and those big emerald eyes looked glossy again.

He hugged you several more times before his dad finally managed to take his hand and drag him back home. He did not stop looking back at you till you were out of sight. When you finally got back home Mom was yelling at one of your sisters for taking all the good ribbon. Since you normally spent your days aimlessly wandering around the farm, the fields and the woods no one really questioned where you had been all day.

Until about four days later when just as breakfast was wrapping up there was a knock at the door. Your Mom opened it to find a small cute little boy in a cream colored long sleeve shirt and tan shorts with knee high socks saying "Good Morning!" in a clear Imperial accent and asking you could come out to play.


End file.
